Lear Announces Executive Appointments
Fortune 500 automotive interiors company Lear Corp. announced the following organizational changes this week. Jim Brackenbury, has been named president – Mexican Operations, succeeding Dino de Falco who is retiring. Frank Orsini succeeds Brackenbury as president of the DaimlerChrysler Division and Dan Golles replaces Orsini as vice president – GM Truck Group. Brackenbury, Orsini and Americo Nesti, president – South American Operations whose position remains unchanged, report directly to Douglas DelGrosso, president and COO – Americas. Golles will report to Frank Sovis, president of Lear’s GM Division.
Valvoline’s Indian Lubricants Venture Plans Operations in Britain
Valvoline Cummins Ltd, an Indian lubricant and chemical joint venture between two U.S. companies, Valvoline International and Cummins Diesel, said Tuesday it will soon start operations in Britain. “Within the next quarter we will start joint operations in Britain and are close to finalizing the plans,” Craig Moughler, managing director of Valvoline International Inc, a Fortune 500 firm, told reporters in the southern high-tech city of Bangalore.
Executive Interview with Hoon Chung, President & CEO of DST, Inc.
Our latest edition of “Executive Interview” features Hoon Chung, who was recently named president and CEO of DST, Inc., in Mission Viejo, Calif. Chung has more than 20 years of management experience in supply chain management and technology deployment services. Prior to his role as the Automotive Group senior vice president and general manager at Activant, he was the COO of Adexa, Inc., which delivers intelligent enterprise business planning and performance management solutions that link strategic, tactical and operational aspects in optimizing enterprise-wide supply chain planning and synchronization. Chung recently talked with aftermarketNews.com about his new appointment to lead DST, what he envisions for the company’s future and what he brings from his experience in other industries.
Cummins Mourns the Loss of Former Chairman and CEO J. Irwin Miller
Cummins Inc. has issued a statement mourning the death of Joseph Irwin Miller, who died this week at the age of 95. Miller was born in Columbus, Ind. in 1909. J. Irwin Miller built Cummins from a family business into a Fortune 500 company with more than 25,000 employees in 131 countries and more than $6 billion in annual sales. He is credited for transforming his hometown of Columbus, Ind., into a city of architectural wonders, earning it the nickname the Athens of the Prairie. The company said he will be eulogized as a great business leader, social activist and philanthropist whose influence will continue well into the 21st century.
Hoon Chung Named President and CEO of DST
Former Activant Automotive Group executive Hoon Chung has been named president and CEO of DST Inc. Company founder Ray Stover was named chairman and vice president of business development. Stover said the entire DST family is energized by the appointment of Chung as president and CEO. “Hoon exemplifies the growing trend in the aftermarket to recruit the best of the best in supply chain management expertise to chart the course for an industry in vital need of next generation solutions,” said Stover.
Stride Tool Names New CEO
Stride Tool, Inc., a manufacturer of specialty hand tools has named a new CEO. Ron Ortiz will replace company founder Lori Northrup, who will continue as chairman of the board of Stride Tool. Northrup, who has served as CEO since 1980, is leaving the company to focus on other business ventures with her husband.
Visteon in Mexico Recognized as a Leading Company, According to Hay Group Study
Visteon Corporation has been recognized as a “Leading Company” in Mexico in a recent study by human resources management firm, Hay Group, and the Mexican business magazine, Gestion de Negocios.
NASCAR and Advance: A ‘Win-Win Situation’
There’s a trite phrase used with companies that market with NASCAR, said Karl Barnhart, a managing director at CoreBrand, a New York branding firm. “You win on Sunday, and you sell on Monday,” he said.
DST Asks: What Topics Would You Like to Read About?
Right now, today, perhaps no other industry is as poised and ready to transform itself as the automotive aftermarket parts and service industry to leverage technology usage to dramatically enhance productivity and boost bottom-line performance. That’s why we took the opportunity, after publishing three months worth of weekly columns, to ask our readers what they would like us to discuss in the next three months. The responses were interesting and thought provoking. Here’s a general recap of what we’ve covered so far and, based upon your feedback, topics for the near future.
Executives’ Salaries Up at Advance
Several top executives at Advance Auto Parts made more in 2003 than the year before, but some bonuses dropped, according to a proxy statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.Lawrence Castellani, CEO of the Roanoke, Va.-based automotive parts retailer, made $669,566 in 2003, a 5 percent increase from $635,778 in 2002. His bonus was $359,746 in 2003, a 44 percent drop from $642,191 in 2002.